Tundra Owners Chime In

[dave1251]

Originally Posted by philipp10
Originally Posted by Speak2Mountain
Q: Have you, will you have your "sealed" ATF changed out?

Just bought a 14 Tundra with 103XXX on the odo, Im ready to do it...just not sure if I NEED TO

Rather than just replace it, why don't you take a sample and look at it. I have a 2008 RAV4 and I did just that. My conclusion was the fluid looks just fine. So I didn't change it.
A well designed transmission does not "burn up" the fluid, hence no reason to change it. A poorly designed transmission DOES over-heat the fluid and they do need changing (doesn't solve the crappy design though).


A good transmission will burn fluid if left in for too long. What is too long? With normal driving 60-100K miles likely. It would take some UOA's from ones transmission to determine what is the ideal mileage for ones vehicle.

 

[supton]

Tundra has I think 14 quarts. But it also has a thermostat and likes to keep the fluid warm--IMO it likes to run in too tall of a gear with the convertor unlocked, at least for my year. Which adds up to...

I think it can be argued multiple ways: a full exchange every 50 or 60k, or a drain & fill every 30k, or similar.

 

[Oldswagon]

I changed mine at about 75 or 80k. I am at 140k now. I may do it again. I used Toyota fluid. I used the Tundratalk method, and had a container to drain out 2 litres than I would add 2 liters. I checked the level at the temperature specified by Toyota. It's a little more involved that an older style transmission but wasn't hard.

 

[Hootbro]

Another vote for cold drain, measure and put the same amount back in. On both my 2010 and 2014 Tundra, that is what I did every 10K miles with whatever DEX VI/WS fluid I could find on sale. I found after a couple of drains, it was basically spot on for 3.0 quarts of fresh fluid every time.

 

[JeffKeryk]

You might consider changing the filter, since you are at 100K miles.
You will get more fluid out and you may never do it again.
Or just start with a spill and fill.

Good luck.

 

[4WD]

Originally Posted by JeffKeryk
You might consider changing the filter, since you are at 100K miles.
You will get more fluid out and you may never do it again.
Or just start with a spill and fill.

Good luck.


Can you add a B&M plug to these trucks while doing magnets and filter etc …
Then do another spill and fill at a later date in 20 minutes … clean and neat …

 

[Ram02]

I would do 2 drain and fill with Maxlife and a bottle of Lubeguard red. And forget about it

 

[supton]

Originally Posted by 4WD
Originally Posted by JeffKeryk
You might consider changing the filter, since you are at 100K miles.
You will get more fluid out and you may never do it again.
Or just start with a spill and fill.

Good luck.


Can you add a B&M plug to these trucks while doing magnets and filter etc …
Then do another spill and fill at a later date in 20 minutes … clean and neat …

B&M plug? I looked and that comes up as something to add a plug to a pan that doesn't have one. At least my vintage has a drain on it, and a fill plug too (up higher on the case). There is a second (third?) plug for checking fill level.

Originally Posted by Ram02
I would do 2 drain and fill with Maxlife and a bottle of Lubeguard red. And forget about it

What is the lubegard for?

 

[Astro14]

Originally Posted by 4WD
Originally Posted by JeffKeryk
You might consider changing the filter, since you are at 100K miles.
You will get more fluid out and you may never do it again.
Or just start with a spill and fill.

Good luck.


Can you add a B&M plug to these trucks while doing magnets and filter etc …
Then do another spill and fill at a later date in 20 minutes … clean and neat …



So, add a drain plug to a pan that comes from the factory with a drain plug?

The point of that would be?

If you drain the pan using the factory plug, you get most of it out. Then a filter change is easy. Add 4 quarts after the filter change and you're close. I would still check the level as prescribed - 118-133F, idling, level, pull the factory level check plug, etc.

The real pain on this transmission is adding fluid. No dipstick. No dipstick tube. Just a big fill plug on the driver's side that is close to the transmission tunnel. You can't just pour fluid in, it's too tight, you have to add fluid with some form of pump and hose.

 

[jdw1222]

A Filter change on the tundra can be a pita sometimes because the pan bolts don't come out easily. Several of the bolts have open threads on top and get full of dirt/water etc and corrode and will snap off trying to remove them.

Most just do a full fluid swap.


You can do a full fluid swap by following any of the videos or write ups posted.

I used max life in mine and it shifts perfectly. Have 250k on my 2013 tundra

I used a funnel and vinyl tube to refill and added exactly the amount of fluid that came out